Bioengineers at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered a technique that for the first time noninvasivily enables the detection of biomolecules’ dynamic reactions in a single living cell.

By taking advantage of the signature frequency by which organic and inorganic molecules absorb light, the researchers can determine in real time whether specific enzymes are activated or particular genes are expressed, all with unprecedented resolution within a single living cell.

The technique could lead to a new era in molecular imaging with implications for cell-based drug discovery and biomedical diagnostics.